Wednesday, March 29, 2006

CRIMSON ROGUE by Liz Maverick(Dorchester, April 2006) From the four strata of Crimson City come rogues: vampire, werewolf, human, demon. These rebels, rakes and unsung heroes have turned their backs on the extravagant vampire skyway, the gritty werewolf underground, the iron-fisted human stronghold and the fiery power of the demon underworld. Walking a thin line between heaven and hell, they make their own rules and follow their own destinies. Ironically, they will be the ones to determine if the City flourishes or fails. Cydney Brighton knows them well, for she too is now rogue. Having escaped hell, she’s discovered that the City is not what it once was—and neither is she. Only one man understands her, understands what it means to be someone or something beyond control. He’s ready to come out of the darkness; and part-man, part-machine, he’s willing to sacrifice almost anything to make himself whole.

Friday, March 17, 2006

What would you do in the dark heat of a dungeon when a man offers his protection in exchange for passion you’d never dreamed possible?

When healer Caelan angers her King, she’s thrown into prison where she bargains her body to a warrior awaiting execution for a crime he didn’t commit. Garron’s very name means protector, and he’s willing to trade protection to get his hands on a woman who smells like freedom and tastes like passion.

But their special powers unite, turning lust into something unforeseen. Soon they are forced to choose between freedom and their growing love in the dark heat of the night.

Tuesday, March 14, 2006

Recently, I've noticed my taste in men has changed. When it happened I'm not sure. I'm not one of those women who sees a guy and thinks he's hot. In fact, I rarely notice men that way - I guess I'm just not hardwired like that.

But the other night in a bar with a girlfriend (a very rare occurrence these days), she said this guy was hot. I looked over and my first thought was, "Is he old enough to drink that beer?! They're going to lose their liquor license if they're not careful." (I'm very practical - lol)

And it was then I realized that not only was he old enough to drink legally, but somewhere along the way, when I wasn't looking, I got older. I don't feel older (that's a whole 'nother blog), but my taste in men has seriously shifted to the 30-40 year old men set. You'd think it would make sense, but other women seem to think men in their 20's are sexy. I just think they look young and there is not a cell in my body that thinks young is sexy. It's the truth (yes, yes, I know last RWA Conference I said that young and uncomplicated sounded good to me, but that was just to make all of you laugh). I realized that men without lines in their face and maybe a splash of gray in their hair look kind of feminine and uninteresting to me.

So that started me thinking about it. Then yesterday, I'm reading my new favorite magazine (Esquire), and I'm looking through this huge spread on men's clothes (I need to update my husband's wardrobe - sigh) where they have real men wearing clothes real men wear -- although I'm thinking the lobsterman with the $1000 jacket on isn't all that realistic, even if the jacket is pretty rugged. And I'm flipping through and I stop on this one guy and I'm thinking, "see? Now I think he's hot, but of course he's older. God, when did I get so old this guy looks sexy to me?!" Then I realize it's Viggo Mortensen - BWAHAHAHAHA. Erm, okay, well, I'm thinking just about every woman thinks he's hot. Or maybe I'm wrong? Thoughts on this subject? Please tell me I'm not the only one making this shift!!

Well, a couple things have been worse than just having someone say no to one of my manuscripts. Take the following anecdotal stories from the last few months:

-----Example Number One----

I had an editor reject one of my previously ebook published stories because he said my writing left him cold. Um. Never ever heard that one before. A national magazine said -- "Engrossing, enthralling and entrancing, In Ice is certainly not one to be missed." and nominated it as one of the best erotic romances of 2005. Obviously it wasn't that cold. Right?? RIGHT?! ARG!!! I was pulling my hair out, second guessing myself. I wrote that story to practice writing emotion, choosing a scarred hero and an emotionally damaged heroine. I ghosted around my house, debating it, wondering. I called all my writing friends, spending hours discussing it. I tortured my agent with vulnerable dribblings.

Two weeks later, on an author-only email loop, and a friend of mine cut and pastes her rejection letter from this same editor into the email. Holy Smackers!!! She'd gotten the same exact wording, with only our names changed!!!!!!!!!! Oh my god. This editor was using that cruel, harsh, evil rejection letter as his stock rejection (no wonder he asked to see more of my work!! I had been thinking, "you want more COLD writing, do you?!?"). What a complete asshole! LOL! I'm sorry, but he is. (If you're reading this blog, Mr. Editor, you're an asshole.)

---- Example Number 2 ----

I've been writing for Red Sage's Secrets Anthologies. I love Red Sage and had been pretty sure that Red Sage loved me. Only I hadn't heard anything about my latests submission - for like EIGHT MONTHS!!! Um. I sent emails asking submission status, heard back about 3 months in that I should be receiving an edit letter, then nothing.... Silence. No other emails were answered.Now most of you know I hurt my back, and that was smack dab in the middle of this. I had thoughts like, "even Red Sage doesn't like my writing any more" - WAHHHHH!

Then two weeks ago, I got an email from the owner of Red Sage, saying my editor had health problems and had retired. I emailed her back and basically was told I'd been lost --- LOST. They didn't hate me, they'd lost my manuscript! Within two hours, I had someone reading it. Within days, they called to buy it.

----Conclusion ----

Well, obviously this business is tough and ego-bashing. Yadda yadda yadda - and all that jazz authors always moan about.

But what I think I finally learned is that things happen that have nothing to do with me, but feel very personal from where I'm standing. An editor has a stock rejection letter that guts me. Another editor becomes ill and loses my manuscript. All that has nothing to do with me, but I took it so personally, they were padding a room with my name on it at the state mental institution. I guess it just finally struck me that I've got to have some distance between me and the people commenting on my work. That doesn't take away all of the pain -- lord, I'm not Superwoman and you'd have to be to withstand all this with a stiff upper lip. But I can remind myself that there are forces at work here that go beyond me and, although they feel very painful, they are things I shouldn't be wasting time and energy worrying about.

Remind me I said this next week when I fly off the handle about my latest round of rejection, would you?